


Quest for the Candied Dates

by FenarielTheDalishMage



Series: Baby Bunny [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adorable, Baby Kisses, Child Inquisitor, Cute, Fluff, Gen, adorable children, candied dates, the Herald is about four years old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-11 14:21:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11150214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FenarielTheDalishMage/pseuds/FenarielTheDalishMage
Summary: What do the words knife ear and candied dates have to do with each other?(Such a bad summary, its really just cute fluff)





	Quest for the Candied Dates

Dali was running around with his arms out wide, jumping over logs and flying like he thought a bird would. He laughed happily and waved hello to a few soldiers and chantry sisters as they walked past him, smiling at the fact that the small child could still find joy in simple things. He wondered what Cully was doing, so he decided to go see. Maybe they could go and play!

“–still don't see why we gotta do it. I didn't sign up to go around protecting a damn knife eared brat!”

“Will you shut it! That's the Herald you're talking about!”

“A knife ear’s a knife ear, don't care if he's magic.”

What did knife ear mean? It sounded like a bad word, so Dali changed his course to go and ask _hahren_ Solas.

 

><><><><

 

“ _Hahwen_ Sowas!”

Solas looked up and saw Dalinev making his way up the steps. He had to smile at the child, still finding joy in everyday life even though he was touched with the mark his orb had left. “What may I help you with, _da’len_?”

The young elf had an adorable look of concentration on his face, and the old elf couldn't help but smile. “I heard some people tawkin’ and I didn't know what a word meant.”

“And what word is that?”

“Knife ear.” Solas’ expression immediately turned dark. “Sowas, is it a bad word?”

“A very bad word, Dalinev. Who said this?”

The young elf became sheepish. “I don't want ta get anybody in trouble.”

Solas sighed and knelt down so they were at eye level and switched tactics. “ _Da’len_ , if you said a bad word, wouldn't you want to know that it was such so that you didn't hurt someone's feelings accidentally? It's very important that you correct such mistakes before someone gets hurt, yes? And what if this person didn't know that it was a bad word?”

The child seemed to think about it very hard before nodding, his face scrunched up into a serious frown that was, frankly, adorable. “Yeah, dat’s true. I would want someone to tell me!” His eyes widened. “I don't want ta hurt anyone's feelings!”

Solas smiled and nodded. “Exactly, so who said this?”

“It was one of Cuwwy’s men over by the gate. I don't know what dey was talkin’ about, but it was about pwotectin’ someone. One of dem didn't want to.”

Solas nodded and got back to his feet, offering his hand to the young boy. “Let us go inform Commander Cullen so that he may correct this, shall we?” He smiled at the child's implicit trust and guided them down to the Commander’s usual spot.

 

><><><><

 

Solas smiled in greetings to the blonde man, honorable for a human, and nodded over to a more secluded area where they wouldn't be overheard or interrupted. “Good day, Commander.”

Cullen looked at him questioningly, but still followed, and repeated the greeting. “Good day, Solas. Good day, Herald, how are you today?”

Dalinev immediately latched onto the other man, having developed a favoritism for the blonde, and smiled while lifting his hands up as the universal sign for ‘carry me’. Cullen acquiesced and smiled at the radiant look he got in return. “Hi, Cuwwy! I found a nug dis mornin’!”

Nugs were rodents that were everywhere, but the Herald didn't have to know that. He put on a surprised look to indulge the child. “You did? What color was it?”

“Pink, siwwy! Nugs are awways pink!”

“I've seen some brown and tan ones further north.”

The child looked awestruck. “Reawwy!? I wanna see a bwown one! We gots ta go, wight now!”

Cullen chuckled and shook his head. “Alas, we have our duty here, Dali, but maybe we might be able to take a trip after all this, hmm?” He tried to hide his sadness when he thought about what might happen to the orphaned child after the breach was closed. Maybe Solas would adopt him, they were both elves and Solas seemed to be knowledgeable about the fade. It might help the child.

“That is a discussion for another time, da’len. Commander, Dalinev heard some of your soldiers speaking near the gate and he heard a word that he did not know, so he came to me.”

“Cuwwy, it was a bad word!”

Cullen's mood immediately soured. “Was it? What word did they say, Dali?”

“Knife ear. Solas says we gotta tell dem dat it's bad so dey don't hurt someone's feewings by accident.”

Even though human, Cullen's expression became almost identical to the elf's. “That is a very bad word, it's good that you came to me. We don't want anyone’s feelings hurt.” He bounced the elf in his arms and smiled indulgently, wanting to lighten the mood but making a note to confront the men later, before whispering. “I bet, that if we asked very nicely, Flissa might give us some candied dates for a snack. I hear that she got some for Lady Montilyet and she might be partial to giving some away before she delivers them.”

Dalinev clapped and squealed happily while kicking his legs, almost as if to spur the ex-Templar on. “I wove candied dates, Cuwwy! Huwwy!”

Cullen laughed and smoothly transferred the child to shoulders, breaking into a run and leaving Solas behind, smiling fondly at them.

 

><><><><

 

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh as she watched the Herald squealing happily while riding on Cullen's shoulders. Dalinev pulled on the blonde’s curls to stop him, earning a wince from the man. “Please don't pull, Dali. Would you like to go see Seeker Cassandra?”

Dalinev nodded and Cullen headed over to her, tickling the boy’s ribs when they got there. Cassandra shot him a sympathetic look before smiling and putting down her practice sword. “Commander, Herald, good day to the both of you.”

“Hi, Cass! Cuwwy and me’s gonna go get some candied dates!” He covered his mouth before whispering to her. “But it's a secwet! Don't tell Josie! Huwwy, Cuwwy!”

Cullen laughed and shook his head. “You're the one who wanted to come over and say hello, don't blame this on me!”

Cassandra huffed and waved goodbye. “I will see you both later, then.”

 

><><><><

 

Cullen couldn't keep the smile off his face as they entered the Singing Maiden. Flissa smiled warmly and put down the mug she'd been cleaning when they walked over. “Hello, Herald, Commander, what can I get you?”

“Flissa, do you think you could part with a few candied dates?”

Dalinev covered the blonde’s mouth, making everyone smile. “But not if it gets you in twouble, Fwissa! Onwy a few!”

Flissa giggled and took a few candied dates and wrapped them in a handkerchief and handed them to the Commander. “Lady Montilyet won't miss five or six dates. It will be our little secret.”

“Thank you, Flissa. Say thank you, Dali.”

“Tank you, Fwissa!” Dali motioned her over and leant over Cullen's curls and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was one of those kisses given by children that were nothing more than placing their lips on your cheek and leaving a big wet mark and making a ‘mwuah’ sound.

Flissa placed her hand on her cheek as she flushed and giggled and waved to them as they left. Cullen chuckle to himself, just thinking that the Herald already had a way with women. He'd be a heartbreaker when he was older.

**Author's Note:**

> So question: do you prefer implied child lisp and L's pronounced as W's or so you prefer when people write them in as in Sowas instead of Solas? Comment with your preference!


End file.
